Property Law

713 Pages·2014·4.817 MB·English

by  Roger Smith

use with
Trusted by generations of students, you can count on Longman Law Series titles to provide
with you with the best possible basis for your legal study.
LONGMAN
‘Smith … stands alone in that it is scholarly, comprehensive enough and approachable for … students.’ LAW
Praise for the seventh edition: Michael Doupe, University of Lancaster SERIES
LONGMAN LAW SERIES
P
Property Law is your indispensable guide to all Property Law
aspects of property law, helping you make the
r
most of your studies through:
o
• Clear, engaging, and highly understandable
p
Join over 11 million students analysis of the core principles of property law EIGHTH EDITION
benefi tting from Pearson’s necessary for your course e
• In-depth examination of the key theoretical r Roger J. Smith
eLearning products
concepts, socio-economic, and historical
t
factors which underpin the development
This title can be supported by MyLawChamber, E y
of modern land law doctrine enabling you I
G
an online homework and tutorial system to critique and evaluate the existing law H L
designed to build and test your understanding. T
• Valuable further reading references to academic H
MyLawChamber provides a personalised material, providing you with an ideal starting E a
D
approach with instant feedback and numerous
point from which to embark on further IT w
additional resources to support your learning. I
independent study O
N
Key features: This eighth edition has been fully revised
• An interactive Pearson eText for easy throughout, and contains full analysis of all
reference anywhere important statutory and case law developments,
as well as substantially rewritten chapters on
• Case Navigator (in conjunction with
human rights and family homes.
LexisNexis) to help improve your case
R
reading and comprehension skills
Also by Roger Smith: o
• Virtual Lawyer, an interactive learning g
e
environment that helps develop your r
skills in answering legal problem questions 9 1 J
9 6
7 4 .
• Numerous opportunities to practise 80 93 S
2 2
including a testbank full of multiple-choice 08 08 m
4 4
questions 1 1
8 8 i
7 7 t
9 9 h
A student access card may have been
included with this textbook at a reduced About the author:
cost. If you do not have this access code,
Roger J. Smith teaches law at Magdalen
you can buy access to MyLawChamber
College, Oxford.
online at www.mylawchamber.co.uk.
C “…an authoritative, extremely well-researched and thought out text, which
o
v
er: © will provide good students with all the stimulus and detail they need.”
G Praise for the seventh edition: Hazel McLean, University of Exeter
e
tty
Im
Editorial Advisory Board: a
Professor I.H.Dennis, University College, London www.pearson-books.com ges
CVR_SMIT1869_08_SE_CVR.indd 1 02/04/2014 10:38
Property Law
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd ii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
L O N G M A N L AW S E R I E S
Providing you with the best possible
basis for critical legal study.
ISBN: 9781292001869 ISBN: 9781292001944 ISBN: 9781447923145 ISBN: 9781408221617
ISBN: 9781405858786 ISBN: 9781408252703 ISBN: 9781408280799 ISBN: 9781408272831
Longman Law Series titles are available to order from all good
bookshops or online at: www.pearson-books.com/law
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd iiii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
Property Law
Eighth Edition
Roger J. Smith
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd iiiiii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
Pearson Education Limited
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow CM20 2JE
United Kingdom
Tel: [phone]
Web: www.pearson.com/uk
First published 1996 (print)
Second edition published 1998 (print)
Third edition published 2000 (print)
Fourth edition published 2003 (print)
Fifth edition published 2006 (print)
Sixth edition published 2009 (print)
Seventh edition published 2011 (print and electronic)
Eighth edition published 2014 (print and electronic)
© Addison Wesley Longman Limited 1996, 1998 (print)
© Pearson Education Limited 2000, 2009 (print)
© Pearson Education Limited 2011, 2014 (print and electronic)
The right of Roger J. Smith to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
The print publication is protected by copyright. Prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval
system, distribution or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or
otherwise, permission should be obtained from the publisher or, where applicable, a licence permitting
restricted copying in the United Kingdom should be obtained from the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd,
Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
The ePublication is protected by copyright and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed,
leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing
by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased, or as strictly
permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct
infringement of the author’s and the publishers’ rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
All trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners. The use of any trademark in this
text does not vest in the author or publisher any trademark ownership rights in such trademarks, nor
does the use of such trademarks imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this book by such owners.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence (OGL) v2.0.
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence.
Pearson Education is not responsible for the content of third-party internet sites.
ISBN: 978-1-292-00186-9 (print)
978-1-292-00188-3 (PDF)
978-1-292-00189-0 (eText)
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for the print edition is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for the print edition is available from the Library of Congress
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
19 18 17 16 15 14
Cover image: © Getty Images
Print edition typeset in 10/12.5pt Minion Pro by 35
Print edition printed and bound in Great Britain by Henry Ling Ltd, at the Dorset Press, Dorchester, Dorset
NOTE THAT ANY PAGE CROSS REFERENCES REFER TO THE PRINT EDITION
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd iivv 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
Contents in brief
Table of cases xvii
Table of statutes lxv
Table of statutory instruments lxxv
Part I I ntroducing property law 1
Chapter 1 B asic property principles 3
Chapter 2 T he central concerns of property law 1 2
Chapter 3 H uman rights 1 8
Chapter 4 T rusts and equitable interests 28
Chapter 5 P roperty interests 3 9
Chapter 6 T he role of legislation and registration for land interests 5 4
Part II G eneral principles: creation and transfer of property interests 6 1
Chapter 7 O riginal acquisition of property interests 6 3
Chapter 8 T he transfer and creation of property interests 99
Chapter 9 F ormalities: rationale and trusts 135
Chapter 10 F ormalities: estoppel 1 49
Chapter 11 T he family home 182
Chapter 12 P urchasers: general principles and the need for registration 220
Chapter 13 P urchasers: registration of title 235
Part III R ights to enjoy land: estates and commonhold 2 93
Chapter 14 S uccessive and concurrent interests: introduction 2 95
Chapter 15 J oint tenancy and tenancy in common 3 00
Chapter 16 T rusts of land 3 18
Chapter 17 S uccessive interests 3 57
Chapter 18 L eases: types and requirements 363
Chapter 19 L eases: obligations and remedies 402
Chapter 20 L eases: parties and the running of covenants 4 38
Chapter 21 Commonhold 4 65
Part IV O ther interests in land 4 71
Chapter 22 Licenses 473
Chapter 23 E asements and profits 497
Chapter 24 Covenants 5 42
Chapter 25 Mortgages 5 66
Index 614
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd vv 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd vvii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
Contents in detail
Table of cases xvii
Table of statutes lxv
Table of statutory instruments lxxv
Part I Introduction 1
1 B asic property principles 3
1. W hat is property? 3
2. O wnership 6
3. S ome basic distinctions 7
4. T he new property 1 0
2 T he central concerns of property law 1 2
I ntroduction 12
1. W hat interests bind purchasers? 1 2
2. C reation and transfer 1 5
3. T he rights of the parties 15
4. T he effect on purchasers 1 6
3 H uman rights 1 8
I ntroduction 18
1. T he Convention rights 1 8
2. E nforcement of Convention rights 1 9
3. C onvention rights in the courts 20
A. Horizontal effect? 2 0
B. Human rights in the exercise of proprietary rights 21
C. The impact of human rights on property principles 25
4 T rusts and equitable interests 28
I ntroduction 28
1. T rusts 29
2. T he trust as a proprietary interest 31
3. O ther equitable interests 3 3
4. E quities 34
5. E quitable principles today 3 6
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd vviiii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
viii Contents in detail
5 P roperty interests 3 9
I ntroduction 39
1. L and 39
A. Tenures 39
B. Freehold estates 4 0
C. Leases 48
D. Commonhold 4 9
E. Other interests 4 9
2. C hattels 51
3. R elative or absolute ownership? 5 2
6 T he role of legislation and registration for land interests 54
I ntroduction 54
1. T he 1925 legislation 5 5
A. Restricting legal estates and interests 5 5
B. Overreaching 5 6
C. Registration of land charges 58
D. Assessing the 1925 legislation 58
2. Land registration 58
3. O ther modern legislation and overview 60
Part II G eneral principles: creation and transfer of
property interests 61
7 O riginal acquisition of property interests 63
I ntroduction 63
1. F inding 63
A. Things found on, in or under land 6 4
B. Things found in chattels 69
C. Treasure 6 9
2. A dverse possession 70
A. Justifications for adverse possession 71
B. Adverse possession against registered estates 7 5
C. Requirements for adverse possession 79
D. The effect of adverse possession 87
3. F ixtures 91
A. General principles 9 2
B. Removable fixtures 9 5
C. Is a right to remove fixtures a property interest? 97
8 T he transfer and creation of property interests 9 9
I ntroduction 99
1. Deeds 99
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd vviiiiii 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM
Contents in detail ix
2. C ontracts for sales and dispositions of interests in land 101
A. Complying with the 1989 Act 102
B. Enforcing contracts that do not comply with the 1989 Act 1 07
C. Conclusions as to the 1989 Act 1 10
D. Electronic conveyancing 1 10
3. L and 110
A. Transfer 1 10
B. Creation of interests 1 11
C. Electronic conveyancing 1 13
4. C hattels 115
A. Transfer 1 15
B. Creation of interests 1 21
5. C hoses in action 1 22
A. Assignable rights 1 22
B. Statutory assignments 1 23
C. Claims by the debtor 124
D. Equitable assignments 1 24
E. Creation of interests 1 26
6. D eclarations of trust and equitable interests 126
A. Declaration of trust 126
B. Transfer of equitable interests 129
7. W ills 132
8. R estrictions upon transfers 1 33
9 F ormalities: rationale and trusts 135
I ntroduction 135
1. R easons for formality requirements 1 35
2. R esulting and constructive trusts 1 37
A. Presumption of resulting trust 137
B. Transfers for fraudulent purposes 140
C. Constructive trusts: an oral promise by a transferee to hold on
trust for the transferor 142
D. Constructive trusts: an oral promise by a transferee to recognise
the rights of a third party 1 43
10 F ormalities: estoppel 1 49
I ntroduction 149
1. T he nature and use of estoppel 149
2. When will an estoppel arise? 151
A. Representation or assurance 152
B. Reliance 1 58
C. Detriment 1 59
3. T he effect of the estoppel 162
A. Use as a sword 162
B. The remedy 1 63
C. Misconduct by the claimant 169
AA0011__SSMMIITT11886699__0088__SSEE__FFMM..iinndddd iixx 33//2200//1144 1100::4422 AAMM